Improvement in velocipedes



parts.

imi

l ses:

JOHN A; TPLIFF AND'GEORGE n. ELY, or nLvnIA,orne.

' Letters Patent No. 87,225, 'dated February 23, 1.869. f

'rMPRovEMENT IN VELOCIPBDES.

The Schedule referred to in theselrettern Patent and making pari: of the-mme'.

To all'whom it may concern H. ELY, of Elyria, inthe county-of Lorain, and State Y of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Velocipede;- and we do hereby declarethat 'the following is la full, clear, andexact description thereof, which will enable others skilled irl-the art t'o make "and use .the

- saine, reference being had to the accompanyingdmwings, forming part of this speciiieation, in which- Eigrre lrepresentsa-side elerzationof our improved veloeipede.V

Figure;2 is avertical transverse section of the same, taken on the plane of the. line 'x xrgfl, and looking' toward the `rear axle.-

Similarlettrs of reference' indicate corresponding The object of tliis'invehtion is to so constraint a v e-v locipede, that it may instantaneously be transformed into a two or three-wheeled vehicle, as the rider may.- desire, and while in motion.

The invention consists in providing arear ax1e, whioh is bent, so as to be somewhat V-shaped, and in'loosely hanging a wheel on each one of its inclined ends.

Whenthe axle is turned by suitable, leverage, pro` v vided for that purpose, so,that its middlepart is higher than its ends, the wheels will .be-both in the middle, and its. tires will come together, so that the two rear wheels will constitute but one single wheel; making the lvelocipede a-two-ivheeled one, or at least one that possesses all the advantages of--a-two-wheeled velocif pede.'l f1' When the position ofthe axle is reversed, thel wheels will be on its e'nds, and the velocipedewill consequently' be tlrreefwheeled. -v The operator may, with our improved-instrument,

cause the rear wheelsto be apart while'lre is learning,

andwhen he gets into, the seat. When under way',-h'e' may'atany timetrnnv the rear axle 'to bring the rear wheels together', in' order to ride on at'wmwheeledvef locipede. 1 A, in the drawing, represents the reach of a velocil.pede.

Be itknown that we, J omr A. TOPLTFF and GEORGE B is thefront wheel. C, the seat.

All these parts and their respective appendages are of suitable construction.

D is the rear axle. It is, with its ends, supported in the'rearends ofthe bifurcated reach, and is bent into the shape of a iiatletter V, as shown in iig. 2'.' In its middle,'is arranged onit, a stop, or disk, a, to prevent the wheels from crowding eachother.

A wheel. E, ,is hungloosc 0n each end-ot theaxle. I v 1 as shown.

A crank, b, is mountedon one end of the axle D,

and is connected with suitable levers F, so that by tleir means, the said axle can conveniently beturned hlfar'ound. f f

When the axle is so set that its middle part is higher than the ehds, as shownby red lines in fig.2, the weight of the rider and frame will', cause the wheels to slide toward the middlemf the axle, as shown by Vred lines. -j When, however, the axle is turned half around, to canse its ends to be higher than the middle, the wheels will slide'toward theends, as shown by black lines in The system of levers b maybe of any, suitable con' struction, and we do uoteo'nfineonrselves to any'spar-` ticnlar' number or forni Io i" them, although 'thelever' b and conneotingfrodjc will answer well,' to set the axle D, and. to retain. it in any desired lposition.

-We claim as new, and desire to secure* by Letters Patentwheels E E, substanti ally asdescribed, for-the purpose of -having'the wheels 'readily moved apart or together, as set forth. y

` 2. Connecting the crank vof the Vfshaped rear axle D with the leveror`levers b, so thatitmay be swung to'v separate or bring together Athe wheels'E E, substan tially as herein shown and described.

" .IGHN A. TOPLIFF.

Witnesses'. GEO. H. ELY.

S. B. SMITH,

l 4Harten ELY. 

